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Bed Time


"You be the baby and I will be the mommy" Asher suggests. And the next 10 minutes follow with a series of orders from Asher:
You sit there. Now you sing a song, no I will sing the song. Now your turn. You hold this bunny. Now you sit up.
When I grow tired of being ordered around, (is this how adults sound to him?) I say, "Okay the game is over, now lets read a book."
I read the book.
"How 'bout two books", Asher says,
"Okay, I say, "I will read one more since the first one was kind of short."
"Lets read this one about the Lion, " Asher requests as he pulls the book out of the shelf.
I begin to read, but I am interrupted.
"Why is the Lion walking on the grass? What does the anteater eat? Ants? Why? What is on the top of that birds head? Is that a hat? Why is the python scary? Why are the monkeys throwing coconuts?"

This book does not seem to be relaxing. I am beginning to wish that each page showed nothing but animals sleeping. I shorten the story by making up my own version of what is happening on each page. My story has all the animals waiting for the Lion to arrive so that they can go to sleep.

We are done with books and it is time to turn the light off.
Asher has thought of a new game.
"Okay, now lets do a trick," he says, "You will turn off the light and I will make a noise."
I turn off the light.
Asher clicks his tongue.
"What is that noise?" I say, playing along.
I turn on the light.
Asher is smiling. "It was ME!"
"Now we can do that trick just one more time." Asher says holding up his index finger.
I turn off the light.
More clicking.
"What is that?"
I turn on the light?
Asher is smiling and seems pleased.

The light goes off again. It is time for songs.
I sing 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.' Asher sings along doing the hand motions with vigor.
This bed time ritual seems to be making him more awake.

How 'bout "You are my sunshine" Asher suggests, "And I will do the funny part at the end."
We sing "You are my sunshine" together and Asher adds funny things at the end.
Please don't take my "octupus" away.
Or
Please don't take my "pajamas" away.
He then instructs his bunny to sing the song and I sing the song for the part of the bunny.
He tells the bunny "You don't do the funny part at the end."
And he sings the whole song with bunny singing the normal
"Please don't take my sunshine away." at the end.

"One more song, Asher" I warn.
"Just Twenty more songs!" Asher demands.

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